Posted on 07/15/2003 6:00:01 PM PDT by getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL
ORLANDO, Fla. -- In a landmark decision, the Florida Supreme Court has done away with a law requiring doctors to notify the parents of minors having an abortion. But now the law is not consistent for other medical procedures.
In the state of Florida, in order to get any sort of surgical procedure, a minor must not only notify their parents, they have to get parental consent. But in the case of an abortion, the Supreme Court ruled a minor's right to privacy outweighs a parent's right to know.
It's now more difficult for someone under the age of 18 to get a tattoo or a belly button ring than it is to get an abortion...
(Excerpt) Read more at wftv.com ...
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Doing my very BEST Richard Dawson impersonation:Survey says . . .
What should take precedence? Choice Votes Percent of 381 votes Children's right to privacy 51 13%
Parent's right to know 330 87%
Thank you for voicing your opinion in our online poll!
Parental Consent Needed For Tattoos, Not Abortions
POSTED: 4:34 p.m. EDT July 11, 2003UPDATED: 4:49 p.m. EDT July 11, 2003
ORLANDO, Fla. -- In a landmark decision, the Florida Supreme Court has done away with a law requiring doctors to notify the parents of minors having an abortion. But now the law is not consistent for other medical procedures.
In the state of Florida, in order to get any sort of surgical procedure, a minor must not only notify their parents, they have to get parental consent. But in the case of an abortion, the Supreme Court ruled a minor's right to privacy outweighs a parent's right to know.
SURVEY What should take precedence? Children's right to privacyParent's right to knowIt's now more difficult for someone under the age of 18 to get a tattoo or a belly button ring than it is to get an abortion.
"They have to go get the paper notarized, paper from the republic where the parent has to go, both show ID and have this filled out, notarized and brought back and be there to sign other paperwork," explains body piercer PJ Riker,
The same goes for all other surgeries. If a minor wants to get his or her tonsils out, get breast implants or even Lasik eye surgery, their parents must be notified and they must give their consent.
But now, when it comes to abortion, that's not the case.
"Here, because the procedure is so intimate, this is certainly something the court was considering in its mind," says UCF Assistant Professor Drew Lanier.
Yesterday, the state Supreme Court ruled that doctors cannot notify parents before performing an abortion on a minor. The court ruled Florida's privacy rules do also apply to minors.
"I think it's a little ridiculous," says parent Tracy Beavers.
She says, until her daughter is 18, she must know about all surgeries no matter how intimate or private. "As long as they're living under my roof and I have to take responsibility for them in every shape and form they, no, they don't have any privacy as far as I'm concerned."
Constitutional experts say it's too early to tell if this will set precedent and lessen the requirements for other surgeries.
This was a 5-1 vote by the Supreme Court. The only dissenter, Chief Justice Charles Wells, said the state does have a compelling interesting in requiring parental responsibility in medical care.
Copyright 2003 by WFTV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Full text on #13 Florida Freepers.
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Post #10 and #12 were the old IE Highlight Text then View/Partial Source.
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